The invention relates to an oil filter and an oil filter element comprising a first end disk and a second end disk and an annularly arranged filter medium that is secured between the two end disks so that the oil to be filtered can flow through it in a direction radial to the longitudinal axis of the oil filter element. The oil filter element has a central channel, which is downstream fluidically from the filter medium, i.e., is arranged on the clean side of the oil filter element. The central channel has a central outlet opening for the filtered oil at one end in the region of the first end disk. An elastically deformable radial sealing element is arranged in the region of the outlet opening, and an annular axial sealing element is arranged on the outside of the first end disk.
Such oil filter elements are known from EP 1 254 692 B, for example, and are used in oil filters in which the filter housing comprises a container part that can be closed by means of a housing cover. An oil outlet connection, which extends into the outlet opening of the oil filter element and is in sealing contact with the radial sealing element of the oil filter element, is formed on the container part of the filter housing. The container part has an oil drain device with a drain opening, which surrounds the oil outlet connection at least partially and is delimited by a side wall in a direction radial to the longitudinal axis of the oil filter element. When the filter housing is closed, the oil filter element is in sealing contact with the end of side wall of the drain opening to seal the oil drain device with respect to a crude fluid side of the filter housing upstream fluidically of the oil filter element. To replace the oil filter element, the oil in the filter housing must first be drained out of the filter housing. This is done by lifting the oil filter element up from the container part. Then the axial sealing element is removed from its sealing contact with the side wall and a fluidic connection is established between the crude fluid side and the oil drain device. The oil on the crude fluid side then flows out through the drain device by gravity and downward out of the filter housing.
EP 2 578 821 A1 discloses an oil filter in which the oil filter element is detachably coupled to the housing cover. The oil filter element can therefore be removed directly from its sealing position from the side wall of the drain opening and/or the drain channel by lifting the housing cover up from the container part and, when lifted further, the radial sealing element can also be removed from its sealing contact with the outlet connection of the filter housing.
In the prior art, the employed radial and axial sealing elements are designed in one piece with one another, i.e., formed by a single ring gasket, and are expensive to manufacture, not least of all because of their complex three-dimensional design.
The object of the invention is to provide an oil filter element and an oil filter with radial and axial sealing elements, as mentioned in the introduction, which can be manufactured more easily and less expensively while retaining functionality.